Ultraviolet radiation (both UVA and UVB) contributes to sunburn, skin aging, eye damage and skin cancer. It is therefore commonly acknowledged the importance to avoid excessive exposure to the sun and to protect by applying sunscreens to the skin.
Recently sun-protecting clothing is becoming popular, said clothing being called PPEs (Personal Protective Equipment). In some cases, PPEs are also able to protect the body from infections, creating a barrier between the wearer and germs and are especially useful for health-care or biological laboratory workers. Indeed, PPEs are designed to reduce the exposure to hazards, either being them caused by sun or other UV source exposure or by bacteria, fungi, virus and the like.
There is a need to develop improved fabrics for the manufacture of PPEs which provide a more effective barrier between the wearer and the environment.